Artist Franco Arcidiacono drawing up the pictures
The painting commences
The panels come together
Keith, when asked what the family thought in the beginning, said, “Not a lot! – they probably thought that I was a bit mad”. However, they soon warmed to the project and began to contribute suggestions. Keith believes that “This region is a great place to live, to work and to bring up a family”; the theme behind the mural.
The mural’s location initially presented a number of logistical challenges. Firstly, the work could not be done in situ because of workplace health and safety regulations, and secondly, the supports attached to the wall that hold up the shop awnings had to be accommodated. Consequently, some 22 fibro cement panels, of varying widths, were arranged side by side so that the awning supports would correspond to where the panels joined. The panels were then taken down and placed in a large shed at the rear of the shops, and the process of drawing and painting began. On completion, the painted panels were re-installed above the awnings. The mural is done in acrylic artist-quality fade-resistant mural paint using brushes. It took approximately 6 weeks to complete.
Both Franco and Keith agree that public art is important because it is accessible to everyone and it tells the story of a place. It provides a novel way by which people learn about local history and the town’s economic foundations, thereby giving credence to our past, our present and our future possibilities.
Getting the panels up onto the awning
Erecting the panels
The finished mural
